Australian Early Childhood Teaching Programs

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiv

   PDF

2. The Importance of Early Childhood Teacher Programs

   • Wendy Boyd

   Pages 1-18

3. Research of Early Childhood Teacher Programs

   • Wendy Boyd

   Pages 19-38

4. The Quality of Early Childhood Teacher Programs

   • Wendy Boyd

   Pages 39-57

5. Optimal Models for Early Childhood Teacher Programs

   • Wendy Boyd

   Pages 59-77

6. Professional Experience in Early Childhood Teacher Programs

   • Wendy Boyd

   Pages 79-95

7. Enablers and Barriers for Optimal Early Childhood Teacher Programs

   • Wendy Boyd

   Pages 97-110

8. Quality Programs, Quality Early Childhood Teachers: Conclusions and Recommendations

   • Wendy Boyd

   Pages 111-121

This book examines the approaches, content and design, and practices of current early childhood teacher preparation programs in universities across Australia, and compares them with those in Finland, Norway and Sweden. It is well established that investment in good quality early childhood education yields the best outcomes for children, and that there is significant correlation between quality early childhood learning environments and qualified teachers. 


As such, this book offers key insights into academic approaches to the design, implementation and assessment of early childhood teacher programs, and how these programs are shaped in response to requirements and constraints, both within the university context and beyond. 


This book provides a focus to inform future practice for decision-makers of early childhood teacher policy; researchers interested in improving the quality and status of early childhood education; and assessors of early childhood teacher programs.

• Early childhood teacher programs in Australia
• Early childhood teacher programs in Norway
• Early childhood teacher programs in Finland
• Early childhood teacher programs in Sweden
• quality outcomes for children
• professional experience in early childhood teacher programs
• optimal qualifications for early childhood teachers
• quality care and the early childhood teacher
• early childhood workforce
• effective early childhood teachers
• early childhood education and primary school teaching

• Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia

  Wendy Boyd

Dr Wendy Boyd is Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Southern Cross University. Her research focuses on provision of quality early childhood programs to support the optimal development of all children. This includes parents’ perspectives on early childhood programs; the effectiveness and development of the early childhood workforce, and the provision of sustainable practices in early childhood education. She has published papers in high impact, ERA-eligible journals, and is Editor of the New Zealand International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. She is on the Early Childhood Australia Publications Advisory Committee, which produces resources for early childhood educators. She has extensive expertise in the field of early childhood education and care and has taught for 25 years and led a large team to consistently achieve the highest ratings in the early childhood Quality Improvement and Accreditation System. Wendy received the 2011 Southern Cross University Vice Chancellor’s Citation Award for Excellence in Teaching based on her work educating pre-service early childhood teachers.

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